Category Archives: Food

Ah, May long weekend 🙂 The un-official start of summer and the sign that it’s time to plant the garden outside. Time for gardening, camping, fishing and generally enjoying the outdoors without a million layers 😉

I meant to post this on Friday, at the start of ‘summer’, but summer got in the way. Because, you know, SUMMER!

1/125 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400, Sony a55 w/ 50mm macro

This was my start to summer, after work sangria with awesome coworkers! In a KING jar, no less.

I was lucky enough to get another tea advent calendar for December 2012. I’m a little slow with the review, but in the meantime, I give you pictures of some of the teas 🙂

Read My Lips – this tea was in the calendar last year, and is still one of my top 5 teas. It’s so, so yummy! And it looks pretty neat too.

You can see the little lips from the tea’s name, and the teeny chocolate chips 🙂
1/40 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1600 – Sony a55, 50mm macro

This one is called ‘Glitter & Gold’, it was new to me and another yummy tea. You can see the glitter – the gold balls and the little silver flecks. I’m not sure what they were, but probably some sort of sugar, lol.

1/30 sec at f/7.1 ISO 3200 – Sony a55, 50mm macro

Goji Pop – another new one, and I really liked the fruity taste. The fruit bits and flower petals add some fun colour. This is one that would make a nice iced tea.

1/25 sec at f/7.1, ISO 3200 – Sony a55, 50mm macro

Kiwi’s Big Adventure – still another new one. I enjoyed this one, although the only words that come to mind to describe it are ‘leafy’ and ‘tropical’, lol. Although, looking at the tea, those words fit!

1/60 sec at f/7.1, ISO 3200 Sony a55, 50mm macro

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Last weekend, my friend and I went out for a much needed bar night. Two weeks into the New Year, a night out was just what the doctor ordered! The Oilers were playing that night (sadly, they lost 😦 ) and the bar had little games during the intermissions. I got to play during the second intermission and I was the winner!

This was my prize!

1/50 sec at f/3.5, ISO 400, 5mm

Cooler view

1/50 sec at f/4.2, ISO 400, 5mm

So I made my favourite pudding, pistachio!

1/50 sec at f/3.5, ISO 200, 5mm

Is it wrong I filled it to the line? 😉

1/50 sec at f/3.5, ISO 250, 5mm

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For those of you that follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you saw my daily tea postings through the month of December. …or you saw really random names and wondered if they were the markers I was sniffing, but I digress. Now that the teas are out and drunk, I figured it was time to share my thoughts. Most of the teas, I enjoyed. Some, not so much. One, not at all!

But I would do it again this year.

To the Teas!

Day 1 – Read my lips. Home-run on the first day, this tea was delicious and gone far too quickly. It’s billed as the ‘world’s best chocolate tea’ and I can see why! The little candy lips are the proverbial icing on the tea. They’ve set a high bar, with this tea on Day 1.

Day 2 – Green and Fruity. This green tea is exactly what you would expect from the name: it’s a nice green tea with a fruity flavour. I really liked it, I’m going to grab some for those cool summer nights 🙂

Day 3 – Creme de Menthe. I do love me some mint, but while I enjoyed this tea, it didn’t leave me wishing for more.

Day 4 – Chocolate Rocket. This chocolate tea was very enjoyable, but couldn’t hold a tea bag to Day 1.

Day 5 – Countess of Seville. Citrusy.

Day 6 – Detox. I’ve had this one before. One of those teas where you don’t want to let it steep too long, or it’s gross.

Day 7 – The Skinny. Seriously, calendar? You start off with the chocolate and liquor, then hit me with detox and skinny? Great, now my advent calendar is judging me…

Day 8 – Sweet Dreams. LOVE this right before bed. I wish I would have gotten this one instead of the chamomile. Phooey! (an obvious thumbs-up)

Day 9 – North African Mint. Mmm, another minty tea 🙂

Day 10 – Santa’s Sleigh Ride. This one is easily No.2, if not tied for No.1. My only complaint was that the tea was made of big pieces (tiny cinnamon sticks, little popcorn, bits of candied pineapple and papaya, and more!) so I only managed two cups 😦 And now, I probably can’t get more until next season.

Day 11 – Japanese Sencha. A very nice, just green tea. With all the other choices, I don’t think I’ll be getting this one again.

Day 12 – Buttered Rum – Rum + Butter ? How can it NOT be awesome? It smelt so yummy, and tasted yummier!

Day 13 – Forever Nuts. Seems so appropriate 😉 And it’s definitely on my shopping list for the next trip to the tea store! This nutty tea smelt delicious, and (very importantly, for me) I could let it steep longer than normal. I have a bad tendency to over-steep my teas, so if they only improve with ‘age’, and don’t become bitter, it’s a winner in my book!

Day 14 – Vanilla Oolong. Like mint, vanilla is a flavour you can’t really mess up. This was a very nice tea. Not particularly memorable for me, but I did enjoy it.

Day 15 – Creme of Earl Grey. This canister busted open, so I didn’t get to try this tea until after the calendar was finished and I could recover the leaves in the book. When I finally did get to try it, it was alright. Not bad, not great, you know?

Day 16 – Toasted Walnut. You know, I never would have thought of nutty tea, but this is the second one in the calendar, and I loved it! And it was another one I could over-steep 😉

Day 17 – Secret Weapon. My first white tea, and me likey! I’ll be getting this one again.

Day 18 – Elf Help. Another one just for the holidays. The best way to describe this one would be ‘spritzy’. Honestly, that was my first reaction. I described it to a friend, and after smelling it, she understood. It’s almost like smelling a cranberry ginger ale! I would get this again.

Day 19 – Exotica. The name of this one makes me giggle. And break out into Adam Sandler’s “8 Crazy Nights” song. “…let’s celebrate Hanukkah, I’ll play my harmonica, and drink my exotica…” (yeesh! What are they putting in these teas? Maybe I am sniffing markers after all.) I can’t think how to describe it, other than I liked it.

Day 20 – Honey Bee. This one smells like you would expect a bee to smell. Very honey-y. And I over-steeped it, and it was waayyyy to sweet. Cloyingly sweet. I still have the rest of the canister, I’m a bit scared to try again, LOL!

Day 21 – Coco Chai Rooibos. This one is nice and spicy. My favourite bagged tea is Celestial Seasoning’s Bengal Spice, and this would be the David’s Tea equivalent, in my book. Two thumbs up.

Day 22 – David’s Organic Breakfast. Straight.Black.Tea. BLECH. Next.

Day 23 – Creme Brule. It’s kind of funny, I had a creme brule dessert at a work Christmas lunch this week, and this tea somehow managed to taste yummier than the dessert. I know, I can’t explain it. It just was.

Day 24 – Santa’s Secret. Perfect Christmas tea. Cinnamon, orange, mint, and tiny candy cane sprinkles! Had to watch this one, started to go a bit bitter if I let it steep too long, but when I got it right, on man, was it yum.

So there it is. My review of the David’s Tea Advent Calendar (No longer available 😉 ) And they sell out quick, so pay attention in November. (ugh, November? that’s like, forever!)

And now, my final words of wisdom – drinking tea is not the same as drinking water! I foolishly thought this, and while I was enjoying all the yummy teas I neglected my water intake so much that it showed up on a test my doctor had ordered. Oops. Her advice? Alternate a cup(mug) of tea with a glass of water.